Philip Lund focused on earning another opportunity after his Sounders debut

Another Sounder made his debut with the team last weekend: Danish forward/midfielder Philip Lund.

The 23-year-old, who had to wait three weeks into the season before earning a contract, came on as a second-half substitute against the New England Revolution and played the final 16 minutes of a 0-0 tie.

“That was amazing,” said Lund, who only learned he would be on the bench the day before the game.

Did he feel ready?

He had only been with the team a few months (and a good portion of that time was spent sick or injured). He was also coming off a serious knee injury and he had last played in the lower leagues in Denmark.

“It’s not if I’m feeling ready,” Lund said. “I have to be ready. When you get a chance and you don’t take advantage of it, you might get only one or two more. So I always have to be ready as a young player.”

Coach Sigi Schmid said the new addition looked “a little bit overwhelmed” and wasn’t “involved as much as I think he could have (been)” in his first action with the first team but that the opportunity came in training.

“He’s busy and he’s active; he hits a heavy shot with either foot, so we felt, ‘Let’s give him a go and let’s see,'” the coach added.

Lund is hopeful for more opportunities but noted that his debut was a good first step.

“Now I have to focus on having good training sessions and getting into the 18 again,” he said, “and if Sigi wants to use me, I’m ready.”